Skatepark Revived: Mural Commission

Skatepark Revived is a cultural project that champions Rom, an iconic at-risk site, through creative commissions, community engagement, and celebration.

The Rom Skatepark, built in 1978 in Hornchurch, is the only Grade II listed skatepark in the world. Given listed status by the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport on the advice of English Heritage, the park is recognised as “nationally important and of special interest.

We are seeking an experienced street artist with a background in creating public murals to design a show-stopping piece that will become part of Rom Skatepark. The mural will celebrate the park’s unique place in urban sports history and culture. You will consult with young people who use the park and draw inspiration from Rom’s archive of images and videos. The mural should honour the park’s past and present.

What We’re Looking For
We welcome applicants who bring expertise and knowledge of skate culture and can place Rom in the conversation of Britain’s skate history. The mural should resonate with an intergenerational audience, whether they are skate enthusiasts, part of an urban/action sports community, interested in unearthing the heritage of Havering or street art lovers.

The mural will:

• Celebrate Rom’s heritage and distinctive design
• Platform Rom as a space for young people and urban sports communities
• Enhance the visual identity of the skatepark
• Create a lasting artistic legacy at this at-risk heritage site

The mural should:

• Draw inspiration from Rom’s distinctive topography to evoke feelings of awe and inspiration
• Celebrate what makes Rom Skatepark east London’s best-kept secret
• Capture the emotional and sensory experience of Rom—exploring the meaning of the place and its design, capturing the spirit of a park built in 1978 and still being used in 2026
• Be designed for durability and weather resistance

What you’ll deliver

Mural Deliverables

• Youth consultation
• Initial design concept with visual references and mood board
• Final approved design
• Completed mural (16ft x 8ft) on prepared hoarding

Process Deliverables

• Social media documentation – Regular posts about the project from your own account (collaborative posts with Havering London and Rom Skatepark – tag relevant accounts, use project hashtags)
• Progress photos throughout the painting process
• Event participation – Participate in the mural unveiling at the premiere event in July 2026

The details:

Mural specifications

• Size: 16ft x 8ft hoarding within the park
• Must be designed for longevity and weather resistance
• Surface will be prepped and primed prior to painting

Budget: £2000 all-inclusive fee.  This fee covers:

• Youth consultation & archival research
• Design development (initial concept + two rounds of revisions)
• All paints and protective equipment
• Mural execution (estimated weekend painting time)
• Social media documentation throughout the process
• Attendance at the launch event to speak about your work

Key deliverables checkpoints:
April: Initial design concept
May: Final design approval (after two rounds of revisions)
June: Completed mural
July: Mural unveiling event

What We Provide
Havering London and Rom Skatepark will provide:

• Prepped and primed hoarding surface (16ft x 8ft) – materials value £2,000
• Access to Rom’s extensive archive of images and videos for inspiration
• Site access and liaison with Rom Skatepark
• Ladders if required
• Support throughout

Who we’re looking for

Essential

• Experienced street artist with a strong portfolio of public murals and street art
• Experience working with communities for consultation on design
• Experience working on large-scale outdoor projects
• Understanding of paint durability and weather-resistant techniques
• Active social media platform

Desirable

• Understanding of skate culture and urban sports communities
• Knowledge of skateparks and their history
• Experience painting on hoarding or similar surfaces

Please submit your application via our Typeform by 8 March 2026 23:59 GMT

Please include:

• Portfolio
• Examples of previous mural/street art work (links or images) and any large-scale outdoor work
• Proposal, including:
  • A plan of how you will consult young people and children using the park
  • Your creative vision for exploring Rom Skatepark’s topography and skate
    heritage through mural art
  • Your approach to designing for longevity and weather resistance
  • Brief outline of materials/paints you would use
• CV – demonstrating street art/mural experience and working with communities for consultation on design
• Safeguarding – Please state whether you are subscribed to the DBS Update Service

Site Visits
We encourage applicants to visit Rom Skatepark before submitting. To book a site visit, please email contact@romskatepark.uk

Selection Timeline
Application deadline: 8 March 2026
Applicants notified: 13 March 2026
Commission starts: March 2026

If you have any questions or would like support to apply please email nompumelelo@haveringlondon.com